ABSTRACT
We studied the effect of 1% apraclonidine (Iopidine(R)) on the ocular hypotensive action and its ocular side effects following laser surgery for glaucoma. One hundred twenty patients with primary angle closure glaucoma underwent argon laser peripheral iridotomy and 40 patients with primary open angle glaucoma were treated with laser trabeculoplasty. Mean lOP of eyes instilled with 1% apraclonidine fell by 16% 3 hours after instillation in laser iridotomy cases and by 28% 3 hours after instillation in trabeculoplasty cases. lOP elevation greater than lO mmHg was found in 18 eyes (30%) of the control group in iridotomy cases and 4 eyes (40%) in trabeculoplasty cases, but none in the apraclonidine group in both treated cases for the first three hours. Apraclonidine reduced the incidence and magnitude of potentially harmful lOP elevations after laser irdotomy and trabeculoplasty.